Athens blast kills six, with four Americans reported among the dead
Six people died after a building collapsed in Athens’s Plaka district; investigators are examining a suspected gas leak.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
An Athens blast that killed six people destroyed a building in the Plaka district near the Acropolis, with four American tourists reported among the dead. The suspected cause remains under investigation: authorities have not determined the substance involved or where it came from, Al Jazeera reported.
Rescue teams recovered all six bodies after the explosion and collapse, according to Al Jazeera and the BBC. The blast occurred Friday in Plaka, a historic area popular with visitors.
What is known about the Athens blast that killed four Americans?
Documents and belongings found with four victims, two men and two women, indicated that they were US citizens, Greek public broadcaster ERT and other local outlets reported, according to Al Jazeera. The BBC also reported that four American holidaymakers were among those killed.
The two other victims were reported to be a British man and a Greek woman, an elderly couple who lived in the building. The identifications were reported by the BBC and Al Jazeera and had not been presented as final official findings in the accounts available.
Two women in an adjacent building were injured, the fire department said, according to Al Jazeera. Nearby properties were damaged and evacuated, and the BBC reported that debris scattered into surrounding streets.
Why do investigators suspect a gas leak?
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said officials believed a major gas leak caused the explosion, Al Jazeera reported. The BBC likewise said investigators suspected a gas leak, but a Greek police spokeswoman said the nature and origin of the substance had yet to be determined.
Reports have also pointed to earlier concerns in the neighbourhood. Al Jazeera said a residents’ group had warned the municipality and electricity and gas-network managers a year earlier about possible short-circuit and gas-leak risks. A civic group later said a resident had complained of a gas smell for several weeks; police confirmed that residents had made a report, according to the outlet.
Those reported warnings do not establish what caused the blast or whether any party was at fault. Authorities were still working to establish the source of the suspected leak.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.